Making the Wrong Connection
by Hunt's Honey
Summary: What would happen if Alex made sure the younger version of her got the tape that showed her Father had killed himself and her mother and had attempted to kill her too? Would her future be any different and would the Gene Genie come to her rescue....?
1. A Cunning Plan?

Making the Wrong Connection

Summary: What would happen if Alex made sure the younger version of her got the tape that showed her Father had killed himself and her mother and had attempted to kill her too? Would her future be any different and would the Gene Genie come to her rescue....? Possibly GALEX not too sure yet!!

_Disclaimer – I don't own Ashes to Ashes or the characters. If I did Gene Hunt would be all mine and him and Alex would be at it like rabbits on the show! The lovely people at Kudos own them....lucky bastards!!_

Just a quick note, this is dedicated to some very important people to me: Lara, Cat, Claire Bear and Sades – you ladies mean the world to me and although we're all so far apart you ladies have given me so much love and support over the past few months....this is for all of you xxxx

Sitting opposite Gene, Alex cautiously studied him. She couldn't believe a few short hours ago she had seen her parents die, Gene rescue the younger version of herself and learn what had really caused the car to explode. She felt a vast range of emotions; happiness that Shaz was out of hospital and would be returning to work shortly; grief that she had lost her parents again, sorrow that she hadn't been able to save them and a deep sense of loss that she wasn't home with Molly. Most of all she felt confused.

As she was still trapped in the 80's then why was she still there. What connection hadn't she made?

Looking again at Gene laughing and joking with the rest of the team, Alex felt a surge of anger towards him.

'What right does he have destroying evidence? Never mind destroying evidence, what right does he have to keep that information from a young girl who is going to grow up confused about what happened to her parents?'

Alex lifted her glass from the table and downed its contents. Shuddering slightly at the taste, she reached for the bottle and poured herself another glass.

"Don't you think you should go steady Bolls?" a concerned albeit slightly sloshed Gene asked.

"I think I'm a grown woman and I can do whatever I like 'Gene'." replied a pissed off Alex, using the air quotes around his name just to wind him up.

"What have I told you about waggling your bloody fingers when you say my name??"

"Right now 'Gene', I just don't care." Alex responded, using the air quotes again around his name.

Getting up with her glass in her hand, Alex walked over to the bar stools and made herself comfortable talking to one of the younger WPCs who had moved to avoid Ray's lecherous stares and his awful advances.

As the night wore on Alex's jumble of emotions continued and she was left wondering what connection had she failed to see? Where had she gone wrong? Why wasn't she home with Molly now? How was she going to get home to her?

Her head a mess, which the alcohol clearly wasn't helping with she said her goodbyes and went upstairs to her flat.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she fumbled putting the key in the lock. Finally getting it in she twisted the lock when she had a flash of inspiration.

'The plastic covering of the video cassette may be broken but that doesn't mean the tape was in any way damaged and there is only one was to find out.'

Quietly and stealthily, Alex made her way back down the stairs. She needn't have worried about the noise she was making, the few of CID still in Luigi's were singing along to 'That's Amore' so loudly that she could have been having an orgy on the stairs and they wouldn't have heard her. Opening the door Alex peered from left to right several times making sure there was no-one outside. Satisfied the coast was clear she ran around the corner from Luigi's and headed towards the station.

Walking up the stairs to the station, Alex carefully opened the door and flattened her body against the wall. She didn't want anyone to know she had been in there and wanted to make sure that it was thought the cleaners had disposed of the tape. Peering in through the door to the main desk, Alex looked to see if the night desk sergeant was there. She couldn't see any sign of him so she slowly opened the door and walked through to CID.

Opening the door to Gene's office, she stepped inside and shut it again, just in case. Making her way around the desk, she knelt down and started to look through the bins contents. Underneath various bits of paper at the very bottom of the bin was the video cassette with shards of black plastic everywhere. Being sure not to loosen the shards, she picked the tape up out of the bin and looked at it. Upon further inspection, the tape appeared to be intact. Removing the white reels and the tape she put them in her pocket and placed the pieces of paper back over the top of it when she heard a noise.

Unable to do anything else she hid in the foot well underneath Gene's desk. Hearing the door to the office open she willed her heart to stop pounding and her breath to stop rushing out of her. Hearing the distinctive 'click' of boots, she knew immediately that it was Gene, no doubt there to drink his whiskey supply after being kicked out of Luigi's.

Alex could hear him walking over to the bookshelves, picking up a glass and the bottle of whiskey and walking to sit at his desk. She realised that the minute he stretched his long legs under the desk she would be caught out. Luck was on her side however, as once Gene sat down he swung his legs up onto the desk, poured himself a glass of the amber nectar and appeared deep in thought. She watched as he absent mindedly swirled the whiskey around in the glass before drinking it all and pouring another glass.

To Alex, what felt like hours had passed cooped under the desk, trying not to move too much as her muscles began to cramp up. Looking up at Gene she saw he had fallen asleep at his desk, the glass precariously balanced upon his lap. As quietly as she could, Alex began to move from her hiding place trying not to make any noise as the circulation returned to her muscles. Once free from underneath the desk, she crawled past Gene's chair to the edge of the desk and got up.

To look at him sleeping, Gene Hunt looked at least 10 years younger and all the hardness was removed from his face. Not wanting him to be disturbed she carefully removed the glass to avoid it being knocked off and placed it on his desk. Alex then removed his long black coat from the coat stand and placed it over him so he would get some warmth. Unable to help herself, Alex then lent forward and stroked the hair off his face. Gene muttered incoherently in his sleep and seemed to snuggle down into his jacket.

Alex crept out of the office and being as cautious as she was entering the building she made her way back to her flat to get some sleep.


	2. A Plan in Action

Another day... another chapter! This is the last chapter before things start to turn into something I hope is interesting! This is for the lovely people on Luigi's who have reviewed the first chapter but it is especially for my Mum for believing in me and keeping me motivated. Love you xxxxx

_**Previously....**_

_**Alex crept out of the office and being as cautious as she was entering the building she made her way back to her flat to get some sleep.**_

The next day Alex woke early. Getting out of bed she removed the bed shirt she had on, grabbed her dressing gown and made her way to the bathroom. Turning on the tap in the shower, she found the perfect temperature, slipped off her dressing gown and let the stream of water wash away her problems.

Getting out of the shower, Alex dried herself off, wrapped her hair in a towel and put her dressing gown back on. Venturing into the kitchen she made herself some breakfast and a cup of tea. After eating a couple of slices of toast she took her cup to tea into the lounge and sat on her sofa looking at what she had left on the table the previous night.

The tape was taunting her. Should she or shouldn't she? What would happen if she did? If she really had died, showing her younger self the tape wouldn't make a difference to anything would it?

Either way Alex had decided that she wanted to see the video again. Picking up an unlabelled video from the side of the television, Alex slowly and carefully removed the top and then prised the casing apart. Removing the white spools from the video, she wound up the stolen tape and placed one of the spools inside before adding the other and tightening the tape. Putting the tape back together she got up and put it in the video. Her finger hovered over the play button.

Giving herself a mental shake she pressed play.

"If, err, all goes to plan by the time you are watching this I will be dead along with my wife Caroline and our beloved daughter, Alexandra. Why did I do it? The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. Well not me and err not Caroline. We sang our song but a very charming man, a maggot, wiggled into our paradise and it was erm, compromised the truth was sullied and it could never be unsullied. But shed no tears for Me er, Caroline or Alex. We are where we want to be together, forever."

The snow at the end of the tape came up on the television screen but Alex didn't move to stop the video. Silent tears poured down Alex's face again. How could her father have done that to her? She still couldn't get over the fact that ultimately this was a result of her mother's and Evan's actions. Alex realised that even thought what they had done was wrong and had obviously devastated her Father he had completely over reacted to the affair. Looking back on the meeting she'd had with Tim only two days before hand she did get a sense that he was a bit odd, but she didn't even consider that it was possible he was involved with the likes of Layton.

"Alex. Alex! Look at me Alex" The clowns face replaced the snow on the television screen.

Alex lifted her head and looked at the TV screen. On it there was the set from Bullseye, with herself and Molly as the contestants.

"Now then. You've had a good day and you've won £75 which is yours to keep. You've also won some fantastic prizes. Now do you want to gamble your prizes and play Bully's star prize gamble or do you want to walk away? Come on Audience; let's give Alex and little Molly some help!"

The audience which at first had all looked normal now looked like the clown and were cheering her on to gamble.

Jim changed into the clown.

"So Alex, what's it going to be? Are you going to gamble?"

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Alex screamed at the television. Closing her eyes, Alex then looked at the screen and the snow was back.

Moving to sit on the sofa, Alex began sobbing. If everything was just a construction of her dying mind, why was her own mind torturing her so much? All she wanted was to go home and see her daughter. Now she knew the truth why hadn't that happened?

Making up her mind she knew what she had to do. The question was when would she get the opportunity to do it? Thinking on the aftermath of her parents' death she found she couldn't remember very much at all. Was been here as an adult clouding her own memories of what really happened?

Deciding on a course of action, Alex roused herself from the sofa and went to wash her face to remove the evidence of her tears. Walking into her bedroom, she pulled on her indigo jeans, blue off the shoulder top and her black boots.

Leaving the flat, she gathered her white jacket around herself from the bitter chill of the October air and walked down the street. She carried on walking for some time, lost in thought but her feet appeared to know where she was going and it was with a shock she found herself already at her destination.

Looking at the house in front of her, she carefully looked at every feature and every detail; the wrought iron fence and gate, the leaves on the pavement and in the garden, the ornate bay windows with twelve panes of glass and finally the dark blue front door. Alex gazed up the steps with a familiar sense of longing, the same longing she felt as a child whenever she left home to go to school.

Searching in her pocket, she found the set of keys which she had placed there the day before and had forgotten about.

Feeling as though she were being watched, Alex looked up at the window and saw the curtain move back into place.

'That's funny, I don't remember coming back home the day after my parents were killed. I wonder whose inside?'

Walking up the stairs, Alex paused then hammered on the door. After waiting a few moments the door opened to reveal an ashen faced Evan.

"Hello Alex. I didn't expect to see you here. Would you like to come in? I'm just getting some things for little Alex."

Without waiting for an answer, Evan ushered Alex in the front door.

"How is little Alex coping with everything? Who am I kidding; the poor child has just lost both her parents. She must be so lost and confused as well as utterly devastated." Alex asked Evan and then cursed her stupidity; obviously working with a group of mainly insensitive men had started to rub off on her.

"Actually, she's handling it all a lot better than I am. She seems to have Caroline's sense of calm and adaptability, the two things that make...made her a fantastic barrister."

The brave face Evan had been putting on crumpled and hot, salty tears poured down his face. Doing the only thing she could think of, she guided him into the sitting room and held him as he cried. After half an hour, Evan's sobs had subsided and he fell into a fitful sleep. Taking the opportunity she had been presented with, Alex gently moved Evan from her lap and began looking around the house. It didn't take long to find what she was looking for. In her childhood bedroom, she saw a hold-all which was half full of her childhood treasures. Glancing around the room, she retrieved her diary from the hiding place and placed it in the bag. Taking the cassette out of her pocket she placed it in the middle of some clothes. Making sure it looked like nothing had been disturbed, Alex left the room and went back down stairs. Leaving a note for Evan she left the Price house one final time.

Making her way home, Alex was overcome with waves of tiredness even though it was only early afternoon. Barely able to make it into her flat, Alex passed out on the sofa and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Welcome to 2008, Alex Drake

This is the last chapter for a few days, I'm taking my driving test on Friday so I'm having lessons the rest of this week and will be trying to have a few early nights. If you're lucky I might get chance to write another chapter but no promises!

Just wanted to add that Tim's speech in chapter two is taken directly from the last episode.

Lis x

_**Previously...**_

_**Making her way home, Alex was overcome with waves of tiredness even though it was only early afternoon. Barely able to make it into her flat, Alex passed out on the sofa and fell into a dreamless sleep.**_

As Alex lay there she was completely unaware of what was going on around her. Hearing bird song and feeling the breeze, Alex started to stir. Her eyes fluttered open and she was barely able to stop the scream that had formed in her throat. She sat up on what was now a park bench instead of the sofa in her flat and looked around. Seeing nothing but trees and grass she looked down at herself. Gone was the white leather jacket, black boots and jeans and in their place was a skirt that could only be described as a belt, stockings and suspenders, high stiletto heels, a see through red top that left nothing to the imagination and barely covered her dignity and a black thread bare jacket.

Wracking her brains, Alex tried to remember the last thing that had happened. She had been to the Prices' house, placed the tape in the hold all along with her childhood diary and made her way back to the flat above Luigi's. She had no idea where she was or how she had got there.

'Well sitting here isn't going to give me any answers.' Alex thought and made to get off the bench. At first she wobbled with the height of her heels but within a few minutes she was walking steadily albeit slowly.

Making her was through what appeared to be London; Alex became self conscious of the looks she was receiving and pulled what she could of the jacket around herself. Once Alex was in more of a built up area, she realised she was no longer in 1981 but couldn't tell which year it was. Walking along Regent Street, she noticed a man with a stand selling newspapers. Slowly making her way over to him she glanced at the front page of what was the London Gazette and saw the date. It was 8th August 2008. She was home!

"Are you gonna buy that love? This isn't a sodding library you know?" The man rudely said to her, giving her a look up and down of what Alex could only describe as disgust.

Ignoring the man Alex walked off. She needed to get to Molly and to do that she needed to find Evan. Checking the pockets of her jacket in search for money to get a taxi, she discovered two things; the white diary she had as a child and more shockingly what felt to be a needle and some kind of brownish white powder. She had worked in the Met long enough to know that it was heroin. Why did she have heroin on her? Was she under cover as a drug addict? Very confused now, Alex decided she had to get to Evan's house straight away but unable to find any cash on her she would have to do it the hard way.

After a long, painful and exhausting walk Alex finally found herself at Evan's house. Walking through the gate and along the path she knocked and hoped he was in to answer the door. Luck was on Alex's side when a few moments later he opened the door. She was surprised to see his face fall when he saw she was standing there.

"Alex. To what do I owe this immense pleasure? What do you want this time? Money? Bailing out from the Loan Sharks? Or should I just throw open the door, let you take what you think is worth anything and let you leave again?" Evan said warily to Alex, eyeing her with a great amount of caution.

"Evan, I don't know what you're talking about. Are you ok? Where's Molly?" Alex asked with a hint of panic in her voice.

"Alex, I don't know where Molly is."

"What? How can you not know where she is? You're her godfather and she should be here. Before I was shot by Layton I saw you pick Molly up to take her home, to bring her here."

"Molly was adopted not long after she was born, Alex. I've not seen her since she was a few months old and neither have you. What have you taken now? Is it more heroin or have you taken something else along with your usual cocktail?"

Unable to focus and barely able to stand up or breathe, Alex felt her knees weaken and suddenly the world was black. Having no other choice, Evan picked up Alex and carried her into the lounge, placing her on the sofa.

Making sure he was certain Alex had passed out and wasn't just faking it to get into his home to steal from him again, Evan left the room and sat on the stairs. Taking his mobile phone from his pocket he made a phone call to his secretary cancelling all of his appointments for the day and that telling her that he would be back in the office tomorrow.

'It's going to be one of those days.' Evan thought as he moved from the stairs and began to sort some clothes out for Alex.

A few hours later Alex woke up hoping that what had happened earlier was just some twisted dream. Her luck seemed to have run out however when she glanced around the room and saw Evan sat in a chair intently watching her.

"Go up and clean yourself Alex. I've left you clean clothes in the spare bedroom; you can use the en suite in there. When you've finished I'll cook us something to eat and then we'll talk." Evan said to her without taking his eyes off her.

Feeling like a sullen and chastised teenager, Alex got up silently and made her way to the spare room. The spare room Evan had referred was in fact the bedroom Molly had at his house. Looking around the room, Alex knew with absolute certainty that Evan was telling the truth. There was no trace at all that Molly and herself were any real part of his life. Barely able to hold in the sobs that were building in her chest she went into the bathroom and turned the shower on letting the water heat up. Removing the "clothes" she was wearing, Alex turned to look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was straight again and hanging limply around her face. Her face was the real shock; it was sunken and had an almost grey, matte look to it. The bags under her eyes were so dark it looked like she'd been in a fight and had come out the loser. Looking down she scrutinised her arms and saw what could only be track marks from regular heroin use.

'What has happened to me?" Alex thought despondently. Deciding her best course of action was to do as Evan asked she stepped into the hot shower.

Forty five minutes later, Alex made her way downstairs clean and dry but still with no idea of what on earth was going on. Evan was in the kitchen and called to her to go in and sit at the table.

"Well you look a bit better than you did when you turned up on my doorstep but you look like you could do with a good meal." Evan stated placing a plate of food in front of her before sitting down opposite her.

Alex hadn't realised just how hungry she was until Evan had put the plate in front of her. Looking over it he had made savoury mince with mashed potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. Picking up her knife and fork, Alex got stuck in with an enthusiasm she had never had before. The psychologist in her told her that she was doing it as a displacement strategy but her stomach over ruled her psychological mind with its hunger.

After she had devoured her meal and had seconds she put her cutlery on her plate, took a sip of water and looked at Evan. Realising he wasn't going to say anything voluntarily she asked him what was going on.

Evan put down his glass of water and looked up at Alex.

"You ask me this every time you come here. I suppose you want me to start at the beginning?" Not waiting for Alex to say anything, he continued.

"When you were a child, not long after your parents had died you found a tape in with your belongings and you watched it. To this day I still don't know how you got it. Gene seems to think it was something to do with the interfering DI who he worked with but she disappeared soon after and he was never able to find out. The tape showed the video that your father had made before the bomb had gone off in the car basically saying that he was the reason the bomb had been planted. He didn't only blame himself though; he also mentioned the affair I had with your mother. After that, you changed. You went from being a studious and conscientious young girl to a complete rebel. Don't get me wrong, at first the change wasn't that noticeable. You pushed your curfew and did the usual things that teenage girls did. Maybe if I had been harder on you, you would have turned out differently but my own guilt at my hand in your parent's death always stopped me. Something which you knew and you took advantage of.

"Anyway, I and Gene Hunt tried to help you as much as we could but you were falling deeper into a dark hole and we couldn't shake you out of it. Gene even went as far as to lock you in the cells when you were seventeen to try and scare some sense into you, but it had the opposite effect. You got more and more involved with unsavoury characters and everything I did to try and prevent it failed.

"In the end you ran away with a young man called Robert Drake. Robert or Bobby as he preferred to be called introduced you to the dark side of the world and you were so enamoured you married him and you never looked back until one day in 1995. Bobby had got himself into some trouble with his supplier, a man I have had the misfortune of coming across called Eric Jones. Unable to pay his supplier, they took what they wanted from him in flesh. You found him barely alive in a backstreet. By the time an ambulance had got to you both. Bobby was dead, leaving you alone six months pregnant and unable to look after yourself. For the final three months of your pregnancy you agreed to come live with me but once Molly was born you were back into your old habits. Social services were called and it was deemed you were unfit to be a mother.

"I tried everything I could to adopt Molly so you would be able to have some part in her life but my application was unsuccessful. You kept flitting in and out of my home and it was decided you would be a disruptive influence on a child. I get letters time to time to let me know how Molly is doing but it's all done through Social Services so I have no idea where she is just that the family who adopted her were unable to have children of their own and Molly was very much their longed for child. So here we are now. You've kept coming here when you're in trouble but you never accept the help I've tried to give you. I've set up appointments for you at rehab which you never bothered going to. I tried to keep you prisoner here but you attacked me and left, taking valuable things with you to sell. I've tried to do my best with you but until you accept the help I'm offering there's nothing I can do."

By the time Evan had finished, tears were pouring down Alex's face. What had she done? The one person that kept her fighting was no longer there, was there any point in her fighting any longer. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, Alex picked her jacket and ran out of the house.


	4. Calling Doctor Jones

_**Previously...**_

_**By the time Evan had finished, tears were pouring down Alex's face. What had she done? The one person that kept her fighting was no longer there, was there any point in her fighting any longer. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, Alex picked up her jacket and ran out of the house.**_

Alex ran as fast as she could, ignoring Evan's shouts for her to come back. Her eyes full of tears she blindly turned around corners with no real sense of where she was going. Her chest was tight and she was sure her heart was going to burst out of her chest with the pain. It was only when she started with the worst stitch she'd ever had that she stopped and fell to the ground.

"I need you Gene Hunt, you said you were where you were needed and I need you now" Alex half screamed and half sobbed. Without paying any attention to where she was, she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around herself started rocking.

With her eyes shut she could see flashes of images. Molly catching her kiss and waving goodbye to her, Gene looming over her after he'd pulled her out of the meat freezer, how irresistible Gene looked when they were locked in Edgehampton and various flashes of every glance, touch and words of innuendo spoken by both of them. Alex mentally mused that it was funny all of her memories were of Gene and suddenly felt guilty that he was the one she missed the most; not her daughter who she knew was a real person.

Hearing footsteps approach her, Alex couldn't even lift her head to see if she would need to run away. If this version of 2008 was anything like her own, it wasn't safe for her to be just sat there.

"Here Love, are you alright?" an unidentified male asked. Alex replayed the man's voice in her head and knew he sounded familiar but she wasn't sure where she knew his voice from.

"Jesus. Guv, you better come to my position, there's a woman here, unresponsive. I think something has happened to her." The man spoke into his radio and then placed a surprisingly gentle and soothing arm on her back.

Alex knew she should know this man but she couldn't place him. She couldn't even string a sentence together to reply to the man who was now rubbing soothing circles on her back. Completely exhausted, Alex had an intense headache and with the ministrations on her back she was positive she was going to fall asleep.

Hearing two more sets of footsteps approach, Alex slowly lifted her head up and was in shock. In front of her knelt DC Chris Skelton and the two men approaching were Ray Carling and Gene Hunt. Gasping, Alex tried to move herself away from the men.

"You're not real, you're not real. YOU ARE NOT REAL!!!" Alex screamed as she to get away from them.

"Well done you twonk, you managed to stumble across the only crazy bird in the whole park." Ray commented.

Standing up and looking around, Alex realised she was back in the park where she had woken up before. Her mind began ticking over. Had she been injured in 1981 and couldn't remember? Was this just a bastardized version of 2008 created by her mind? Everything felt real, just like it did in 1981 but she couldn't be sure this was all just a construct of her mind. There was something to real about the situation.

"I'm DCI Gene Hunt. What seems to be the problem love? Is everything ok? You know you shouldn't be hanging round in parks this late at night. There's all sorts round here and it aint safe." Gene asked with a concerned look on his face.

Alex opened and closed her mouth a few times, she felt like a fish out of water. Unable to do anything else she launched herself at Gene and held on as though she was drowning and he was her life line.

At first Gene was shocked by the unknown woman's behaviour but then almost as suddenly he wrapped his arms around her. The feeling he got was that this was familiar, that SHE was familiar. A warm feeling went through his body. He had a fierce desire to kiss this woman and he didn't know why. Before he did something he would later regret, he gently grabbed the woman's shoulders and moved away from her.

"Now love, what's your name? Where do you live?" Gene asked kindly.

"My name's Alex, Alex Drake. I don't know where I live." Alex replied feeling cold from the loss of contact with Gene.

Gene scrutinised Alex. He looked deep into her eyes to check for signs of a concussion. She did look very out of it.

"Ok Alex. We're going to take you to the hospital to get you checked out love. Is that alright?"

Alex couldn't respond so merely nodded and felt Gene place a hand on her back guiding her to the car. Her mind was a mess again. She couldn't understand any of it at all. What was she supposed to do? Play the part of the heroin addict until something happens? Should she go and find Molly? She remembered what Ray had said in 1981 about staying close to the Guv, so at the moment was her plan.

Gene had a funny feeling about this woman but he couldn't place his finger on it. She reminded him of someone he used to know but he couldn't remember who it was. It was as though someone had blurred his memories and all he could see was fuzzy images.

Opening the back passenger door, Gene helped Alex into the car and then got in the driver's seat. Following their Guv's example Ray and Chris got into the back of the car.

Alex sat with a bemused look on her face as the others put on their seatbelts. She could barely suppress her giggles at how they had changed since 1981. She felt aware of eyes on her and looked to see Gene, Ray and Chris all staring at her. Realising what they were waiting for, Alex pulled her seatbelt around her and pushed the catch into the holder with a click.

Satisfied that everyone was safe Gene pulled out of the parks car park and headed towards the hospital.

Coming to a stop outside Guy's hospital, Gene got out of the car and helped Alex out. Guiding her into the hospital, he explained the situation and then sat down with Alex.

For a while they sat in silence; each looking like they had something to say but then stopping themselves.

'Well, this is a surprise. He looks like the Gene Hunt I know, he sounds like him, he feels like him, in essence it IS him but it's like he's the modern day version of him. Is this really just a constructed fantasy from my mind? I'm starting to think this could be real. If my mind was going to create Gene Hunt in the 21st Century, he would be exactly how I remembered him in 1981. He was rough around the edges, rude, chauvinistic and sexy as hell. He's still sexy but some of the things that made him have been toned down so much. I suppose I should wait and see what happens now.' Alex thought while waiting to be seen.

After about half an hour, her name was called by a nurse and she walked to the examination area. Sitting on the bed as she was directed, Alex noticed that the doctor examining her was giving her a strange look, almost as though he knew her. Beginning to feel anxious under his gaze she decided to say something to him.

"I'm sorry Doctor but is there a problem? Do I know you?" Alex quickly glanced at his ID badge. The name read _Richard Jones._

"No. You just look like someone I knew in a previous life. The resemblance is uncanny, but you can't be the woman I knew..." Dr Jones tailed off as he looked at her left arm to take her blood pressure and saw the track marks on her arm. He did know this woman but she didn't recognise him. Keeping his head down, he pretended to be engrossed in the blood pressure cuff on her left arm.

"When was the last time you used?" He asked while writing on her chart, still keeping his head down.

"I don't know, or rather I don't remember. I woke up this morning with no recollection of where I was or how I got there. I can remember odd things but nothing about who I am."

Richard looked up at her and gave her a dazzling smile. He was in the clear for the moment.

"Well Alex. I think you have had some kind of head trauma which has caused amnesia. Hopefully your memories will return within a couple of months. In the mean time, you need to get your act cleaned up and get off the heroin. Have you felt any cravings?"

"I've not noticed any signs of craving."

"Ok. To help when the cravings set in, I'm going to set up an appointment for you tomorrow to see our drugs counsellor here. His name is Craig Becker and he'll sort out a prescription for something to help you deal with the cravings. You have to be sure this is what you want. You'll be wasting our time and yours if you aren't serious about stopping." Richard said giving her a stern look.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't remember using. I don't want to become dependent on something when I don't even know who I really am."

"Well Alex, I'll make the referral to our Drugs counsellor now. You should come back here in the morning to see Dr Becker and I'll also refer you to our neurology department. As you can't remember what caused the trauma for you to be suffering from partial amnesia I'd like you to get thoroughly checked out. That appointment will come through in a few days time. Now we don't have a current address for you. Is there anyone who knows where you were living?"

"I don't think there is. I can remember my early childhood but after that everything is blank. I'm lucky that my godfather hasn't moved since I was in my early teens and I could remember where he lived but we're not particularly close." Alex chose not to mention the fact she could remember a life so different from this one, that she could remember being shot and waking up in 1981. Dr Jones would have her carted off to the psychiatric ward quicker then she could imagine.

Dr Jones left the room, presumably to have a word with Gene. Alex knew she needed to convince Gene to let her stay with him but she wasn't sure how.

Alex got up and looked for Gene. Finding him in conversation with the Doctor, she had chance to look at him without him noticing. It was amazing, he looked and held himself the same way that he did in 1981 but there were subtle things that made a difference to him. During her observations, Gene looked up with a thunderous look on his face. Alex suddenly felt scared.

Gene stalked towards her with his eyes blazing in anger. He roughly grabbed her arm and looked at her intently.

"So Miss Drake, it would appear there is something you have failed to tell myself and my officers. Ray, check her pockets" Gene ordered.

"But Guv..." Ray began.

"No 'Buts' Raymondo, just do it."

Ray cautiously began searching her pockets. The only thing he found to Alex's relief was her childhood diary.

"I don't know what I'm meant to be looking for Guv but she's clean. There's just a book in there."

Gene suddenly let go of Alex and stalked off. She rubbed her arm which was sore from his grip and watched him walk away. Suddenly he stopped and turned to face her.

"Well are you going to stand there gawping or are you coming?" he asked.

Alex started to follow Gene, aware that Dr Jones was looking at her with the strange look again. She wasn't sure what he was playing at but she was determined she was going to find out. He had broken Doctor/Patient confidentiality even though he had never asked her if she had any heroin on her. She was definitely bothered by the look he kept giving her and she added finding out more about him to her list of things to do.


	5. Alex Price's Diary

**Hey!**

**Thank you all so much for your wonderful and kind reviews. They really mean a lot and have kept me going over the past few weeks. I just wanted to clear some things up about this chapter. I can't remember if it states in A2A how old Alex was when her parents died so I'm making an assumption that she was 11. Also, all diary excerpts are in **_**italics.**_

**A lot of this chapter is just background and I have a feeling I'm going to get things thrown at me for the way I've finished it but don't worry, the next chapter is planned so you won't be waiting to find out what happens for too long!!**

**Thank you all again for the reviews, and please carry on reviewing!**

**Lis xx**

_**Previously...**_

_Alex started to follow Gene, aware that Dr Jones was looking at her with the strange look again. She wasn't sure what he was playing at but she was determined she was going to find out. He had broken Doctor/Patient confidentiality even though he had never asked her if she had any heroin on her. She was definitely bothered by the look he kept giving her and she added finding out more about him to her list of things to do._

Following Gene out of the hospital, Alex stopped before she reached the car.

"Are you getting in the car love or are you waiting for a bus?" Gene asked her gruffly.

"I've got nowhere to go DCI Hunt." Alex replied.

Rolling his eyes, Gene walked towards her.

"You can stay at my place tonight and we'll sort you something more permanent out tomorrow." Gene explained. He wasn't sure what had come over him. He didn't let every Tom, Dick or Harry in distress stay at his place. For some unknown reason he wanted to protect this woman. What was the most confusing thing was that he somehow knew this woman and yet he couldn't remember where from.

"Are you sure? It wouldn't put you out would it?" Alex asked.

"Get in the car before I change my mind. We all came off duty nearly an hour ago so let me drop the lads home then we'll get you sorted out." Reverting back to his usual, bastard self, Gene walked back to the car, opened it and got in.

With no other plan in mind apart from staying near Gene, Alex followed and got into the car.

After dropping Chris and Ray back at the station, Alex and Gene continued their journey to Gene's home.

Being back in the hustle and bustle of 2008, Alex felt oddly unnerved at the amount of people still out and the number of massive concrete and metal structures that surrounded the roads. Allowing her mind to process everything that she had found out in the twelve or so hours she had been in 2008, Alex sat back and allowed the buildings, other road users and lights wash over her so it was with surprise when they stopped outside a terraced house and Gene exited the car.

"Are you getting out then or do you want to stay there all night?" Gene asked poking his head through the open car door.

Without answering, Alex undid her seatbelt and got out of the car. She stood awkwardly on the pavement. Gene rolled his eyes and gave a silent sigh before walking over to her and placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her to the front door. Opening the front door he stepped back and allowed her to cross the threshold into his domain.

Looking around the hall, Alex was shocked. Instead of the dark she was expecting, the hall was light and airy, painted in a cream colour with laminate flooring.

Wordlessly, Gene removed his coat and hung it up and then took Alex's from her. Before he put it away, she took the diary from her jacket pocket.

"Well, I suppose you'd like the grand tour Miss Drake?" Gene asked.

"A tour would be lovely and please call me Alex, DCI Hunt." Alex casually replied.

"In that case Alex, call me Gene. I'm not on duty now." Alex felt an involuntary shiver when he said her name.

After showing her the lounge and the large kitchen, Gene took her upstairs to show her the rest of the house. Once he was satisfied she knew where everything was, he turned to speak to her.

"Is there anything you need? I Sky Plussed the match earlier so I'm going to go downstairs and watch it. You can join me if you like?"

"I think I've got everything I need except..." Alex began and trailed off. What she wanted to say was that she wanted him to stay the night with her and make her feel safe, to bring some calm to this new chaotic world she found herself stuck in but she didn't have the guts to say it.

"Except what? Anything you need just let me know." Gene told her. Deep down he knew that all he wanted to do was to hold this beautiful stranger in his arms for as long as she'd let him. He didn't know what it was about her but she was driving him crazy.

"I don't have anything to sleep in Gene." Alex replied deciding on the safest answer of the two.

Gene didn't say anything; he just walked out of the spare bedroom and returned a few minutes later with a shirt.

"Will this do you? Should cover your dignity if we do bump into each other in the middle of the night." Gene asked with a smirk.

"That's great, thank you so much for this Gene and not just for the shirt, for everything. I really appreciate it." Alex said while taking the shirt from him.

"It's not a problem. Tomorrow we'll try and get you sorted out with somewhere a bit more permanent to stay. If there's anything at all you need during the night, don't hesitate to come and get me. Good night Alex."

"Thank you Gene. Good night." Alex said.

Gene walked out of the room and she was left alone with her thoughts. She quickly removed the clothes she was wearing and put on her borrowed shirt. Moving into the bathroom, Alex washed her face and gave her mouth a quick rinse out with mouthwash. Before returning to the bedroom, Alex rinsed out her knickers and wrung them out as best she could. Entering the bedroom, she located the radiator and placed her knickers on it, with a silent prayer that they would be dry by the morning. Turning off the ceiling light in the room, Alex gratefully sank into the double bed and snuggled down under the covers. She leaned over to the bedside table and picked the white diary from it.

For several pages, she just flicked through, stopping occasionally to read the note worthy events of her childhood. Finding the entry she was looking for, Alex got comfortable and began to read.

_October 13__th__, 1981._

_Evan has just given me the things he could find of mine at my parents house. I still can't believe they've gone. I don't remember much of what happened, just that I went to chase my balloon and then there was a really big bang and a big fire. I don't remember how I got from where I was stood on the grass to being with Evan at his house. Evan thinks the shock has blocked my memory of what happened which he says is a good thing._

_I'm living with Evan now. The only relations I have are really, really old and I don't know them that well. Evan can't stop crying. It's like he's done something really naughty and he knows he's going to get caught out soon. I keep giving him cuddles and telling him that whatever he's done isn't that bad. He just looks at me and starts crying harder. _

_It's funny, Diary. I expected to be more upset than I am now. I guess being at school a lot of the time means I won't miss them as much because they weren't around much anyway._

_Evan is calling me for tea now. I'd better go._

Alex shakily put the diary down and took some deep breaths. Her eyes were stinging from unshed tears. Wiping a hand across her face, she flicked through the diary until she found the next entry of interest.

_November 5__th__ 1981_

_I don't like fireworks, Diary. They're too noisy and they remind me of the accident. All you can see at the moment is flashes which are followed by loud bangs. I'm under my duvet trying to ignore the bangs as much as I can._

_Evan is a lot better now than he was. I think he feels a lot better now the funeral is out of the way. I'm going back to school next week. I can't wait to see my friends again and that stuff is back to normal._

_Evan told me off earlier because the things he had brought over for me from home were still in the bag on the floor of what is now my room. Evan said I can have it painted whatever colour I want. I hope he likes really bright pink. In with my things was a video tape. I don't even have a video player in my room. I don't know what's on it but for some reason, I don't think I should watch it when Evan's in. I'll hide it at the back of my drawer until I can watch it when he's out._

Alex scanned through the next few pages but couldn't find anything relating to the tape. After about thirty pages, she found another entry to read.

_September 22__nd__ 1982_

_I hate, hate, HATE Evan!!!! He lied to me about what happened. It's all his fault my parents are dead. Why did he lie to me?_

_I finally watched the video tape after ages of forgetting about it. I found it one day when I cleared out some of my old clothes that didn't fit anymore. Waiting until Evan had gone up to bed; I crept down stairs and put the tape in._

_The picture was quite jumpy but the sound was word perfect. It was my daddy on the screen. My daddy was the one who was responsible for what happened. He kept saying funny words like 'sullied' and 'quiet desperation'. I don't know what they mean but they don't sound very good. He said something about a charming man, a maggot who had ruined things for my daddy and mummy. This man must be Evan. After watching the tape, I remembered seeing my mummy kissing Evan in the hall and it wasn't a peck, it was a proper snog. I don't know why I forgot about it._

_I still can't believe it. My dad did something that made the car blow up and he was going to kill me too. Why couldn't he have got someone to kill Evan instead? He's the one who was naughty not me. I just wish my daddy was here to read me The Chronicles of Narnia and to do the silly voices too._

Adjusting her position in bed, Alex sat back and closed her eyes. If it was almost a year after she planted the tape in the house, how come she had immediately gone back to 2008? Knowing that she wasn't going to get an answer yet, she carried on reading. She desperately needed to know what path her life had taken for it to have changed so dramatically. Searching through the diary again she found several entries after the September one that depicted the usual teenage rebellion until she found one that shocked her. It was dated a few years after the car bomb had gone off.

_October 10__th__ 1986_

_Evan had the nerve to shout at me tonight. I was back late from my friend's house. I told him to fuck off and when he started to shout at me I just saw red. It's funny you hear a saying like that but you never truly understand it until you experience it. I just lashed out, scratching, slapping, punching and kicking every accessible inch of flesh on Evan. I was screaming like a banshee. When I was able to get control of myself, Evan was lying on the floor in the foetal position, silent tears pouring out of the swollen holes that were his eyes. I couldn't help myself; I spat on him then laughed saying that he truly was a maggot. I went up to my room but then went back downstairs when I hadn't heard any signs of movement. Evan was still in the same position on the floor and I felt so guilty. I knelt next to him and said his name. Getting no response I started to panic. I thought I'd killed the bastard. Checking for a pulse I found a weak one. Worried now, I knew I had to ring for an ambulance but knew if I did I'd be found out._

_I paced the hall trying to calm myself down and then came up with a plan. If I went outside and picked up a rock then threw it through the window, it would look like someone had tried to break in and Evan had been hurt by some mysterious would be burglars._

_Grabbing my winter gloves I quickly put them on, threw the stone through the window and ran back in the house leaving the front door open. Taking off my gloves I phoned for an ambulance. He may have been the reason for my parents deaths but why give the worm the easy way out? Let him live with his guilt!! When the ambulance came, the police came too. I told them that I heard some glass break and thought it was Evan being clumsy. The next thing I heard was some shouts and the sound of someone running away so I crept downstairs and saw Evan on the floor in a heap. He told the police he didn't know what happened, that he couldn't remember but I know he does. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me._

At this point, silent tears were pouring down Alex's face. How could she be so cruel and heartless? It was understandable that she had this rage against Evan but surely the younger version of herself in whatever 2008 this was understood that it was her FATHER that had arranged the bomb, not Evan. Reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table, she took a few sips to help calm herself down and then picked up the diary again.

There were no entries again until April 1987.

_April 23__rd__ 1987._

_Yesterday, I met the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. He looks so cool and he's a really nice guy from what I can remember. He's called Bobby Drake and he's just....WOW!!! I was at my friend Nina's house. Her parents were on holiday and she threw a massive party. I was sat on the sofa trying to be interested in something some loser was saying to me when Bobby walked in. I knew straight away I had to have him. I've never felt such an instant attraction to someone in my life. He looked right at me then walked over, his eyes never leaving mine. Reaching the sofa, he told me his name then pulled me off the sofa and out into the garden. We were talking for ages and I started to feel tired. I told him that I had to leave and why. He said to hang on and he dug in his pockets for something. Taking out a little plastic bag, he gave me two tablets. I thought they were like glucose tablets so happily swallowed them with a glass of beer. After about half an hour, my head started to feel really funny and I was really thirsty. Half staggering, I made my way into the house and grabbed a few beers from the table and then returned outside. I sat back down next to Bobby on the grass and drank some more. After that it all gets a bit hazy and the next thing I remember, Bobby was kissing me._

_Every nerve end felt like it was tingling at once. I didn't know what to think just that the kiss felt so good. I felt Bobby's hand slide under my top and up my side, his hand left a trail of fire wherever it went. We stopped kissing and even though my heart was racing before, I was sure it was beating at the speed of light. He asked for my number then said he had to go to another party but he'd call me soon. I was on cloud nine._

_Those glucose tablets were weird though. I couldn't sleep and just wanted to talk loads for ages afterwards._

Alex could have laughed at the naivety of her younger self. It was clear as day that what she had been given were Ecstasy tablets. The more she read, the more she could see what had happened. The seed of hate that started as a young child had grown until it had consumed her. She was going to stop reading then and there but she saw Gene's name written on a page later in the diary and had to know what it said.

_August 28__th__ 1987_

_I'm so angry with Evan. I don't know what he thought he was playing at. I've just got home from spending a night in the cells. Evan must have found out I was going to a party tonight and rung the police. That's the only way they could have found out. I was sat there happily drinking beer and talking to my friends even though I was a bit pissed when suddenly I heard someone yell 'Shit it's the police. SCARPER!!!' All I could see were people fleeing in different directions. Somehow, I tripped up and was grabbed by a copper. I was roughly pushed into the back of a police car. From what I could tell no one else was caught. I was asked to give my name, address and telephone number and was then taken down to a cell. Later on the cell door was unlocked and I thought I'd be able to go, that Evan had come and got me. A tall man with blonde hair and the sexiest blue eyes I had ever seen walked into the cell. The door shut behind him. He told me he was DCI Gene Hunt, a friend of Evan's. He knew my parents blah, blah, blah! He kept going on at me about how I was messing up my life so I did the only thing I knew that would shut him up. Getting up from the bunk I walked towards him, pushed him against the wall and kissed him. At first he tried to push me away but I ground my hips against him and felt his body react to me. He kissed me back and then put his hands on my back. I ran my hands up and down his chest, then undid the tie around his neck and began to undo the buttons. Before I had even got the first one undone he realised what he was doing and pushed me down on to the bed. Giving me a look of disgust, he turned to leave the cell but before he did, he said 'You're playing with fire and you're going to get burnt.' Then he stalked out of the cell._

Alex put the diary down on the bedside table and sat there in utter shock. Her seventeen year old self had tried to seduce Gene? So why didn't he recognise her now. She thought back to how she looked then to how she looked now and realised that whatever had happened to her afterwards had made a drastic difference to how she looked now. Deciding any further revelations could wait until the morning; Alex turned off the lamp and fell into a fitful sleep.

Waking up, Alex felt that her face was wet. It was then she realized she was crying. Not just a normal cry either, it was the inhumane cry of a woman who had lost everything.

She saw the light go on and felt a strong pair of arms encircle her. Holding on to Gene for dear life again, she sobbed and sobbed until no more tears would come out. Pulling back slightly, she looked into Gene's eyes.

"Better?" He asked.

Alex merely nodded and continued to look into his eyes. Slowly, almost hesitantly he leaned in towards her and captured her lips into the tenderest kiss she had ever received.


	6. Chapter 6

_**AN – This fic is now on permanent hiatus. Thanks to the people who have read and reviewed.**_

_**Previously...**_

_**Alex merely nodded and continued to look into his eyes. Slowly, almost hesitantly he leaned in towards her and captured her lips into the tenderest kiss she had ever received.**_

As their kiss increased with intensity, Alex began to lean back into the pillows on her bed. So Gene wouldn't have his full weight on her, he slid his hand onto the bedside table to support some of his weight.

Alex heard something thud to the floor but wasn't interested what it was. She was more interested in getting the beautiful man in front of her into her bed. Gene, however, had other ideas. Slowly breaking this kiss he moved away from her, while Alex softly moaned at the loss of his lips against hers.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Gene wondered what he has doing. Alex was a vulnerable woman who didn't him making a pass at her when she was clearly confused. If it hadn't been for the noise of whatever he had knocked off the bedside cabinet hitting the floor, Gene really thought it would have gone a lot further than just a passionate kiss.

Looking down, Gene saw a white book on the floor which had fallen open with the cover upwards. Not recognising it as one of his own he picked it up off the floor and looked at the words written on the open pages. Quickly scanning the contents, Gene turned to look at Alex with a mix of half shock and half confusion.

Opening her mouth to say something Gene cut Alex off before she had a chance to speak.

"It seems Ms Drake you would appear to know who I am as we've met each other before. Just when were you going to tell me that you used to be Alex Price?" he asked coldly.

"Please, let me explain Gene..."

"It's DCI Hunt, Ms Drake" Gene snapped at her.

"Sorry DCI Hunt. I don't remember anything that is in that diary after my parents were killed. It's all a complete blank. In fact...." Alex trailed off. She knew it would be useless for her to tell him anything at all. He wouldn't believe her.

"'In fact...' what, Ms Drake. Spit it out." Gene roughly said to her.

"It's unbelievable, I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't lived through it. You're going to think I'm mad. I think I'm mad to be honest. You know it's great when you start to question your own sanity." Alex was changing the subject in a bid to distract Gene.

Gene said nothing to her as he stood up and left the room. As he turned to close the door he didn't need to say anything, the look on his face said it all. Alex didn't need to be a psychologist to realise he was now regarding her with a look of hurt and betrayal.

Alex got out of bed and was about to open the door to go after him when she realised he would be better left on his own to calm down. Sighing with resignation, she climbed back into the comfortable bed and tried to stop her brain from going over and over what had just happened.


End file.
